Liberal Racism: the case of Nicholas Kristof

"This kind of brutal repression is normally confined to remote and backward nations, but this is Bahrain. An international banking center. The home of an important American naval base, the Fifth Fleet. A wealthy and well-educated nation with a large middle class and cosmopolitan values."  What are backward nations, o Nicholas Kristof?  The nations that don't host an American naval base? Pleas enlighten your readers.